Western Cape schools will teach Grade 1 mathematics in isiXhosa from next year as part of a province-wide expansion of the Bala Wande mathematics programme.
The Western Cape Education Department is implementing the programme in partnership with education organisation Funda Wande to strengthen foundational numeracy skills through structured teaching resources and teacher training.
Almaret Aletta du Toit from the department said the 2026 pilot reached about 8,000 Grade 1 learners at 70 schools, with teachers providing positive feedback.
“The aim is to ensure that all learners can calculate with confidence by the age of 10,” du Toit said.
The programme uses a teaching approach that moves from practical objects to pictures and then abstract mathematical concepts. It also guides teachers to demonstrate tasks before learners practise together and eventually work independently.
Du Toit said the programme would support learning in all three of the Western Cape’s official languages, Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa. Bilingual resources and multilingual dictionaries will help learners whose home language differs from the language used in their classroom.
The department has trained 3,150 teachers so far, including Grade 1 teachers across 1,098 schools during the September school holidays. Grade 2 and Grade 3 teachers will be trained incrementally over the next three years.
Du Toit said teachers would receive further training, webinars and classroom support to help ensure the programme is implemented consistently.
The department aims to have Bala Wande operating in all Foundation Phase classrooms across the province by 2029.
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